Houston Mesothelioma Lawyers

Most of Houston residents does not know about Mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a cancer that is related to asbestos. There has been a significant increasement regarding the disease, which has led to a new specializing lawyer in mesothelioma.

Houston's popular law firms and mesothelioma lawyers deals with mesothelioma patients and their family members, who want to claim compensation from a firm where the victim was exposed to asbestos. Mesothelioma lawsuits can win millions in compensation for the patients.

According to Houston's law experts, if you are diagnosed with mesothelioma you have every right to file a lawsuit in the court. Nowadays there are numerous mesothelioma lawyers who are specialists in these cases and can get the maximum compensation for you. It is wise to contact a lawyer who has excelled in this field, and has a healthy knowledge about the disease and its related effects. Houston mesothelioma lawyers are clever enough to get the best judgment for you.

Do extensive market research to find the best mesothelioma lawyer in town, so that your case can be represented well. Provide him with all the information you have, so that he can prepare your case well in advance. Houston mesothelioma lawyers must present your case in a strong manner. It has been seen that Houston's mesothelioma lawyers also hire the investigators to get information about the firm where the victim was working. They can also help in getting the compensation to the family of the person who died due to mesothelioma, to help the family deal with its loss.

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Five Common Symptoms Of Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects people who have been exposed to asbestos. The time period between the asbestos exposure and the onset of mesothelioma is typically very long. Some people do not develop any mesothelioma symptoms until 40 years or more after the asbestos exposure. This makes it very difficult to diagnose both mesothelioma and asbestosis (another condition caused by asbestos exposure).

Another factor that makes the mesothelioma diagnosis difficult is the variety of mesothelioma types. Mesothelioma develops in the lining of internal organs. Thus, it can affect the lining of the lungs, abdomen, heart and testicles as well as spread to the surrounding tissues. Depending on the exact location of the mesothelioma cancer, the symptoms might vary. The following is a list of five common mesothelioma symptoms.

1. Pain in the Chest and/or Abdomen
Mesothelioma cancer can produce pain in various body parts. The pain becomes stronger as the cancer advances. Pleural mesothelioma (cancer in the lining of the lungs) often causes pain in the chest. In addition, the patient might have difficulty breathing. The shortness of breath might increase as the cancer advances and causes pleural effusion (retention of fluid in the lining of the lungs). Persistent abdominal pain might be a sign of peritoneal mesothelioma (cancer in the lining of the stomach).

2. Coughing
Many patients with pleural mesothelioma experience a persistent, dry cough. As the cancer spreads, they might cough up blood. If you notice any of these symptoms, see your doctor immediately.

3. Unexplained Weight Loss
While most people welcome weight loss as a positive event, large and unexplained weight loss might be a sign of trouble. Such sudden weight loss might be a sign that the body is under extreme pressure produced by cancerous cells and is using internal fatty tissue reserves as a source of energy to fight the disease.

4. Persistent Fatigue
Fatigue is typically a normal bodily response to physical and psychological exhaustion. However, if you feel fatigued all the time for no apparent reason, this might be a sign of cancer. You should see your physician if you feel fatigued even as you wake up after eight or nine hours of sleep.

5. Night Sweats and/or Fever
As mesothelioma spreads, it produces a growing number of cancerous cells, which begin to interfere with basic physiological functions. As a result, internal tissues might begin to swell, and various body cavities might become filled with fluid. The body responds to these occurrences by producing night sweats, which are often accompanied by a low-grade fever. If you experience these symptoms, see your doctor for a thorough medical evaluation.

If you are diagnosed with mesothelioma, your physician will most likely recommend aggressive therapies to slow the spread of cancer and kill off the cancerous cells. Sadly, even with the most advanced cancer therapies, the mesothelioma life expectancy remains less than one year. However, new treatments are being developed, offering mesothelioma patients hope of remission and a longer, more satisfying life.

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Asbestos In The Home

Where is asbestos found?

It is not always easy to tell whether a product contains asbestos as modern asbestos-free materials often look similar - remember it is usually older products that contain asbestos. Common places where asbestos could be found include:

* Asbestos cement - cement roofs, wall cladding, downpipes and gutters, cement flues.
* Floor tiles, textiles and composites - textiles in fuse boxes, old fire blankets, heat resistant gloves. Composites can be toilet cisterns/seats and bath panels, window sills, bath panels.
* Textured and sprayed coatings
* Roofing felt
* Asbestos Insulating Board (AIB) - commonly used as fireproofing material and also partition walls, fireproofing panels in fire doors, lift shaft linings, ceiling tiles, soffits, panels below windows.
* Lagging and insulation - in or on heating systems such as round boilers, tanks or calorifiers and around pipework.
* Loose fill asbestos - in between cavity walls, under floorboards and in loft spaces.

What are the risks?

When asbestos materials age or become damaged they can release fibres into the air. These can be breathed deep into the lungs where they may stay for a long time, causing possible damage. Some people are exposed to low amounts of asbestos present in the atmosphere with no ill effects.

However when very high levels of asbestos fibres are inhaled there is a risk of developing serious lung diseases including pleural thickening, asbestosis and Mesothelioma. The symptoms of these diseases can often take between 20-40 years after exposure to materialise.
What should I do if I suspect there is asbestos in my home?

The general rule is to leave asbestos undisturbed. DIY work may result in brief but high levels of exposure to dangerous asbestos fibres. Asbestos is usually safe unless it is damaged or disturbed - for example by removing, drilling, sawing, scrubbing or sanding. If you believe you have asbestos materials in your home, extra care should be taken when undertaking any DIY. We would advise anyone against attempting to carry out work involving sprayed asbestos, lagging or insulating boards as this should always be undertaken by a licensed asbestos removal contractor.

REMEMBER:

* Avoid creating asbestos dust
* Avoid breathing asbestos dust
* Asbestos materials in good condition should be left alone
* Take extra care when undertaking DIY
* Dispose of asbestos properly

If you would prefer to have asbestos materials in your house removed by regulated specialist removers (and this should always be the case when dealing with pipe lagging, sprayed asbestos or loose fibrous insulation) then there are companies who will undertake such work. They are generally referred to as 'Licensed Contractors' and current information can be obtained from the Health and Safety Executive's Asbestos Licence Holders page.

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Take Home Asbestos Exposure

The traditional image of a mesothelioma victim isn’t a mother of young children or a man just entering his prime, but rather a retired auto worker or Navy veteran who was exposed to high doses of asbestos throughout his career. Unfortunately, more and more people who do not fit the stereotype are being diagnosed with mesothelioma. While they may not have been exposed to asbestos through their job, they are the sons, daughters and spouses of people who unknowingly brought asbestos home with them after work.

What is take-home asbestos exposure?

Second-hand, or take-home, exposure to asbestos is one of the leading causes of mesothelioma in those who do not work in an asbestos-related occupation. It happens when someone who works in close proximity to asbestos carries the deadly fiber home with them after work. Asbestos can be carried on everything from clothing and shoes to skin and hair.

When this asbestos is taken home, it can be inhaled by family members who hug the carrier or wash his clothes. The cancer-causing fibers can even be inhaled by children who spend time playing around contaminated clothes in the laundry room. Today, doctors are seeing a surprising shift in the demographics of mesothelioma victims toward middle-aged adults and older women who were exposed to asbestos decades earlier through a family member.

What if I’ve been exposed to take-home asbestos?

Anyone who has been exposed to asbestos should discuss their exposure with their doctor at their next appointment. Because mesothelioma is a rare disease that shares symptoms with many common ailments, it is often difficult to diagnose. If you start exhibiting symptoms of mesothelioma and your doctor knows you’ve been exposed to take-home asbestos, he may have a much easier time diagnosing your illness.

What can I do to make sure my family members are not exposed to asbestos?

If you believe that your workplace may contain asbestos, you can protect your family members from take-home asbestos exposure by taking two simple steps:

1. Isolate your work clothes. If you can, change out of your work clothes before you get home. Keep all contaminated articles of clothing in their own sealed laundry bag before washing them.
2. Wash up. Even after you change out of your work clothes, you could still carry asbestos on your skin and hair. Protect your family members by taking a shower either at work or as soon as you get home, before you touch anyone.

Take-home asbestos exposure is too often a tragic consequence of corporate irresponsibility. By working together to ban asbestos and raise awareness of mesothelioma, however, we can start reducing instances of take-home asbestos exposure.

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